Page 26 - LITTLE WOMEN

Little Women

‘May I go and help carry the things to the poor little
children?’ asked Beth eagerly.
‘I shall take the cream and the muffings,’ added Amy,
heroically giving up the article she most liked.

Meg was already covering the buckwheats, and piling
the bread into one big plate.
‘I thought you’d do it,’ said Mrs. March, smiling as if
satisfied. ‘You shall all go and help me, and when we
come back we will have bread and milk for breakfast, and
make it up at dinnertime.’
They were soon ready, and the procession set out.
Fortunately it was early, and they went through back
streets, so few people saw them, and no one laughed at the
queer party.
A poor, bare, miserable room it was, with broken
windows, no fire, ragged bedclothes, a sick mother,
wailing baby, and a group of pale, hungry children
cuddled under one old quilt, trying to keep warm.
How the big eyes stared and the blue lips smiled as the
girls went in.
‘Ach, mein Gott! It is good angels come to us!’ said the
poor woman, crying for joy.
‘Funny angels in hoods and mittens,’ said Jo, and set
them to laughing.

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